We take a look at what your team has to go through to nail down that long awaited last piece of the jigsaw before the window closes and whether they have already made their marquee signing or they’re holding off until the 11th hour on deadline day.
Process of transfer:
A talent scout watches hundreds of games of players and compiles a report of each an every players attributes and strengths. The compilation are the further analysed by a key men called the Director of football or even the board members in some cases.
The Director of football or the manager then asses the needs of their squad and look where they need to strengthen. The scout produced videos and analysis of the players are used as the benchmark to asses the player. The shortlisted players are further assessed by their way of living and life style.
The Approach:
After the initial process of shortlisting a player, the approach is made for the player generally through an intermediate or an agent by the buying club. The approach cannot be done directly by a buying club to the selling club due to legal reasons.
Once the approach is made, the player/club can reject it or the club can reject the offer against the will of the player. In these cases the players or their agents do sometimes leak out stories in the media to create a scene.
The Formal Offer:
A written offer needs to be made for the player which selling club can accept or reject. The two parties, then keep going backwards and forwards until they negotiate a fee.
Agents play a crucial role in club transfers; they offer their players for a specific fee (that would be acceptable to the selling clubs) to various clubs.
Both clubs can agree on a specific fee for the player but it doesn't mean that the move will go through. But, once it is, then the agent of the player has to agree personal terms on the player's behalf.
Personal terms usually contain salary, role of player at club (key player, first team, squad player, youngster), duration of contract, signing on fee for the player, agent's fee, clauses (release clause, relegation clause), bonuses (loyalty, appearance, goal scored, team of the year etc.) and image rights.
Image rights is ensuring that the player has the right to control commercial use and exploitation of his image, voice and likeness.
Agents may help their players set up their own image company and the club may come to an agreement that the player can keep hold of his image rights and the club will pay the player for use of his image.
Ex. Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to a 60:40 split of all money earned from sponsors between him and club for his image rights when he signed for Madrid in a world-record £80 million deal in 2009.
Personal terms can sometimes take a bit of time when the player involved is of higher reputation.
The agent acts as the proxy for the player in the contract negotiations. The job of the agent is to do what is in the best interests of the player. The agent also introduces player to various commercial opportunities.
The Documentation:
The transfer documentation, the financial agreement between the two clubs, the players contract, the players registration, the players bonus schedule, and any forms relating to agents.
Authorities include FIFA, Football Association of the country and the League (e.g English FA and Premier League)
General rules of transfers:
1. A player can not play for more than 2 clubs in a span of a year.
2. A club may sign a pre-contract with a player while he is still with another club, by which the player agrees to move to the club at a future date, for example, after his contract with his current club expires.
3. A bid matching the release clause can not be rejected by the selling club.
4. A player can be bought but can not be played in knockout competitions if he is cup-tied i.e transferred after the start of the cup tournament.
5. A player can co-owned by two football clubs and if someone wants to buy that player, they must agree fees with both the clubs separately. Co-ownership is not used in every league but it is used in Italy, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
6. A player can be loaned for any amount of time by the club that is holding is contract, ranging from a month to couple of years. The clubs can also agree a specific fee, for which the loanee club can buy the player for after the completion of loan, if they want. There are also clauses like if player can be recalled by the loaning club or not and if the player can play against his parent club.
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